Safety device for phonographs



Aug. 20, 1929. v BODINE 1,725,332

SAFETY DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed March 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nu imgq INVENTOR. A lfred Vflodfn e,

A TT NEY Aug. 20, 1929- A. v. BODINE SAFETY DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS FiledMarch 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

red Vli'miine, YCEMMCE Arm NEY Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

* UNITED STATES 1,725,332 PATENT OFFICE.

ALIBEIl) V. B ODINE, F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO DICTAPHONECOR- PORATION, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

S\,A]!'ETY DEVICE roa rnonoomns.

Application filed March 27, 1925. Serial No. 18,799.

This invention relates to phonographs, and more particularly tophonographs of the type used to record and reproduce dictation etcetera.

In some cases, especially with new and inexperienced operators who havenot become sufiiciently familiar with the machine, the user dictates tothe phonograph while it is in other than dictating condition. \That isto say, it sometimes occurs that persons speak into the speaking-tube ofthe dictating machine while the control-lever is in either reproducingposition or neutral position. Of course, when this is done, thedictation is not recorded upon the record, for in neither of thesepositions does the recording stylus engage the record.

To avoid this inconvenience and disadvantage, the present inventionprovides a safety device by the provision of which it is practicallyimpossible for the novice operator to make these mistakes.

A preferred way for accomplishing this,

- according to the present invention, is to-provide means forautomatically movi the control-lever or the sound-box, or both, torecording position. And it is'further preferable to so arrange thedevice that the control-lever needs must be held 'manually in eitherneutral position or reproducing posi-. tion when it is desired to havethe phonograph so conditioned.

Since the present invention provides means whereby the sound-box orrecording stylus is normally in record-engaging position, it would benecessary for the operator in withdrawing the record from or replacing arecord upon the record-support 'to manually hold the control-lever inneutral position in which the styli are raised from the record forotherwise the record would be scratched by the recording stylus, or therecord would damage the styli or sound-box.

Accordingly, the present invention provides means for automaticallyraising the styli from record-engagin the time when it is desired toremove a record from or replace it upon the record-support. This means,according to the present invention, comprises a flexible and positiveconnection between a speaking-tube support and means mounted on thesound-box carriage adapted to raise the styli from the record when thespeaking-tube is placed upon its support.

position during.

This flexible and permanent connection preferably comp'risesaBowden-wire, or its equivalent, one end of which is operated by thespeaking-tube support and the other end of which, directly orlndirectly, engages the sound-box to raise it from record-engagingposition.

Either of the above features, taken alone,

is an advantageous improvement on commercial and other phon aphs, butwhen. the two features are com ined, the results are greater than thesum total of the results of each, since the machine is practicallyfoolproof when these two features are used together.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of the presentinvention as exemplary thereof- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of one sideof a dictation machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view, showing the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but shows the parts in theirrespectivepositions when the speaking-tube is supported upon its hook.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the presentinvention may be applied to various kinds and forms of phonographs andis not limited in any way to use solely in connection with thecommercial phonograph of any type or of the type herein shown.

In the illustrated type of phonographs, the record 10 is supported upona mandrel 11 to rotate with respect to a recording stylus 12 and areproducing'stylus 13, which styli are preferably carried by a sound-box14.- mounted in a carriage 15 movable longitudinally of the frame 16,upon an upper guide 17 and a lower guide 18. v The carriage 15 is causedto move across the frame 16 by the engagement of a feed-nut 19 thereonwith a feed-screw 20, so that sound is recorded in a helical rooveenerated by the rotation of the man rel am? traveling movement of thecarriage.

The sound to be recorded is received by. a mouthpiece 21, see Fig. 3,located at the free end of a speaking-tube 22, whose other end isadapted to engage a nozzle 23provided on the carriage 15. The sound received by the nozzle 23 is communicated to the sound-box 14 carrying therecording stylus 12. and the reproducing stylus 13 upon its diaphragm,not shown.

The sound-box14 is mounted in a slide 25 for longitudinal movement tobring either the recording stylus 12 -or the reproducing.

stylus 13 into record-engaging position. In order that the styli may bemoved relatively to the record-surface without scratching the record,the sound-box 14 is provided with a cam 26 adapted to engage astationary arm 27 mounted on the nozzle 23, and the soundbox 14 ispivoted at 28 to allow 'it to be raised when the-cam 26 engages thestationary arm 27 during the longitudinal movement of the slide 25. Thesound-box 14 is pivoted at 28, also for the purpose of allowing it toassume different positions to accommodate records of differentthicknesses. The cam 26 and stationary arm 27 with which it engages isalso adapted to maintain the sound-box 14 out of recordengaging positionwhen the slide 25 is in in termediate position.

To move the slide 25 longitudinally for the purpose of changing themachine from recording, reproducing or neutral conditions to either ofthe other conditions, there is provided a manually operablecontrol-lever 29 mounted in the carriage 15 and pivotally.

mounted upon the guide 17. The lower end of the control-lever isprovided with a link 30 connected to a rearwardly extending arm 31formed on the slide 25. Hence, when the control-lever 29 is in itsforward position,

the slide 25 is in its rearward position, and in this position therecording stylus 12 is adapted to engage a record 10. When thecontrol-lever 29 is in its intermediate posi tion, in which it islocated directly opposite an upstanding guide arm 32, the slide 25 istending arm. 42 connected with a' link 43 guided in the base plate 44 at45, and also the sound-box is raised so that both styliare clear of therecord-surface. In its rearmost position, in which the control-leverengages an adjustable stop 33, the slide 25 is in its forward positionin which the reproducing stylus 13 engages the record.

The control-lever 29, in addition to performing these functions by theengagement ofits end 34, depresses the-feed-nut 19 and holds itdepressed when the control-lever is in'neutral position. This is done soas to allow the carriage to be shifted to any desired position withoutinterference from the feed mechanism.

In order to prevent the operator, especial ly a novice operator, fromleaving the control-lever 29 in either reproducing position or neutralposition while he dictates, in

' which condition the machine would not re 29 to recording or dictatingposition, and

carriage 15. This spring is normally under tension and holds thecontrol-lever 29 in recording or dictating position continuously. Whenthe operator desires to move the control-lever 29 to neutral positionfor the purpose of shifting the carriage or for any other purpose, or tomove it to reproducing position to listen to matter already dictated, itis consequently necessary to manually hold the lever 29 in either theneutral position or the reproducing position, otherwise the spring 35will return the control-lever to recording position.

In order to' make it unnecessary for the operator to manually hold thelever 29 in neutral position away from its normal recording position inwhich the recording stylus is normally in record-engaging position whenit is desired to remove a record from the mandrel or replace a blankthereon, the present invention provides means for automatically movingthe stylus out of record-engaging position. This means is preferablyoperated as an incident to the operation of some part of the machinesubconsciously performed by the operator when he has a rearwardlyextending arm 46 engaging an electric switch 47 controlling the motorcircuit. When the speaking-tube 22 is hung upon the hook 40, the link 43with its arm 46 is raised to. cause the switch 47 to open the motorcurrent-supply circuit.

' According to this invention, the hook 42 or any part of it such as anarm 48 secured to or formed integral therewith, is adapted to operatethe internal member 49 of a Bowden-wire element 50, while the externalmember 51 of the Bowden-wire element is anchored to the frame 16 by abracket 52. At its other end, the member 51 of the Bowden-wire 50 isanchored in a bracket '54 mounted on the carriage 15 so that itsinternal member 49 is located in position to operate a bell-crank lever55 mounted on a pin 56 in acut-out portion 57 of the carriage 15.

The'forward end oi the bell-crank lever stylus is entirely clear of therecord-surface enough below the sound-box 14 as not to in-' terfere withit in any of its normal operations. Hence, when the speaking-tube 22 is.

hung upon the hook 40, the member 49 of the Bowden-wire is moved tocause its operative end to raise the bell-crank lever 55 upwardly, forinstance to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position, therecording and will allow the record to be removed or replaced withoutdamaging either the stylus or the sound-box, or the record.

It should be noted that by providing a Bowden-wire connection betweenthe operating part, namely the speaking-tube hook 4O onthe frame, andthe operated part, namely the bell-crank 55 on the movable carriage, apositive and sure connection is provided 7 between these parts, and theoperating parts may actuate the operated parts in any of the"longitudinal positions of the carriage with respect to the frame.

As above stated, the provision of the meansv for automatically raisingthe sound-box from record-engaging osition when the machine is idle, andt e safety device by means 'of which the sound-box is normally held inrecording position while the ma,- chine is in use, each separatelyproduce advantageous and new results. In addition, however, the twofeatures in combination cooperate with each other to such an extentthat'not only does the machineautomatically assume a recording position,but the dangers accompanying these conditions,

namely that of the recording stylus always being in engagement with therecord, are adequately overcome by the provision of means formaintaining the styli' out of recod-engaging position when the machineis i le.

It should also be noted that theprovision, by the present invention, ofa Bowdenwire element between a part of a frame and a part of a carriageor sound-box in a phonograph is in itself a new and advantageousfeature, irrespective of the functions per-' formed by the Bowden-wire.The provision of thiskind of connection ppens up the 'many avenues ofdevelopment for. the controlling operation of commercial phonographs. 7'

Variations and modifications 'gnay be made within the scope of thisinvention, and

portions of the improvements may be used without others. For instance,the Bowdeiiwire 50, instead of causing the sound-box 14 to be. raised,might actuate the controllever 29 or some other part connected to thesound-box so that these parts are moved vcondition and nonc-recordinagainst the tension of a spring 35 to neutral position, and means otherthan the Bowdenwire might be used for the purpose.

Having now described theinvention, what is claimed as new, and for whichit is desired to obtain Letters Patent is:

1. A phonograph having means which is shiftable to either cause thephonograph to record, reproduce, or be inoperative; and means forcausing said shiftable means to normally be .so positioned as to causethe phonograph to record.

2. A phonograph having means which is shiftable tocause. the phonographto record, or reproduce; and means for causing said shiftable means tonormally be so positioned shiftable to cause the phonograph to record,

or to be inoperative for recording; and means for causing said shiftablemeans to normally be so positioned as to cause the phonograph to record.

4. A phonograph having a sound-box control-lever which hasa recordingposition and at least one other position; and yieldable means forautomatically tending to move said control-lever to recording position.

5. A safety device for dictation machines which are capable of recordingand reproducing comprising means normally, tending to condition thedictation machine for recording.

6. In a phonograph having a recordin 7 condition, an having apositionable condition controlling device: a'fsafety device comprisingmeans for making it necessary toimanually hold the condition and areproducing condition, and

having a positionable condition controlling device: a safety devicecomprising means for making it necessary to manually hold thecontrolling device out of recording position and in reproducing positionwhen it is desired to cause the phonograph to reproduce.

8. In a phonograph having a recording condition and a neutral conditionand having a positionable condition controlling device having arecording andea neutral position:

and a safety device comprising means for making it necessary to manuallyhold the controlling device in neutral position.

9. A commercial phonograph comprising a dictating lever and means forautomatically returning the dictating lever to dictating position fromanother position which it may occupy.

- 10. A phonograph comprising a soundtransmitting device; a support forthe sound-transmitting device and movable when the sound-transmittingdevice is placed upon the support; a Bowden-wire engaging said support;a soundbox connected to the sound-transmitting device; and meansoperated by the Bowden-wire for moving the sound-box to inoperativeposition when the sound-transmitting device is placed upon its support.

11. In a phonograph, the combination of a sound-box adapted to engagethe record; a carriage for the sound-box; feed mechanism for thecarriage comprising a teed-nuton the carriage for engaging a feed screwon the phonograph; means mounted on the carriage adapted to raise thesound-box from record-engaging position, said means operating withoutaltering the engagement of the feed nut with the feed screw; a movabledevice located at a point remote from the carriage and a Bowden-wireelement connected to said movable device for operating the last-namedmeans when said movable device moves. 4 i

12. In a phonograph, the combination of a sound-box adapted to engage arecord; a carriage for the sound-box; means mounted on the carriageadapted to raise the sound box from record-engaging position; aBowden-wire element for operating the lastnamed means; said Bowden \vireelement being anchored at one end in said carriage;

means for anchoring the other end of the Bowden-wire element in theframe in position to be operated; and a speaking-tube hook mounted onsaid frame and adapted to operate the BoWden-wire when the speaking-tubeis placed upon the book.

13. A phonograph comprising a soundtransmitting device; a support forthe soundtransmitting device movable when the soundtransmitting deviceis placed upon the support; a mechanical connection engaging saidsupport; a sound-box connected to said sound-transmitting device; andmeans operated by said mechanical connection for movtube is placed uponits support. v

15. In combination, a sound-box adapted to engage a record; meansautomatically biased for normally holding the sound-box in recordingposition; and means acting independent of said first-named means forraising the sound-box from record-engaging position when it is desiredto move the record relative to the sound-box.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State ofConnecticut, this 11th day of March, 1925.

' ALFRED V. BODINE.

DISOLAIMER' 1 ,725,332.Alf1'ed V. Bodine, Bridgeport, Conn. Patent datedAugust 20, 1929. by the patentee, assignee, Dictaphone Corporatwn,

GRAPHS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR PHoNo-' Disclaimer filed November 19, 1929,

assent'ing and concurrmg.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to the subject matter of claim 13 in thesaid specification, which reads as follows:

13. A phonograph comprising a sound-transmitting device; a; support forthe sound-transmitting device movable when the sound-transmitting device1s placed upon the support; a mechanical connection engaging saidsupport; a sound-box connected to said sound-transmitting tion formoving the sound-box to inoperative position when device is placed uponits support.

[Oflicial Gazette December 10, 1929.]

device; and means operated by said mechanical connecthesound-transmitting

